Rahul's CII speech shows him a 'confused leader': BJP

BJP on Thursday described Rahul Gandhi's speech at a CII programme as that of a "confused leader" which reflected fear of the emergence of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in national politics.

The main opposition party sought to know why the Congress vice president's ideas on dealing with price rise and corruption have not been heeded to by the UPA government which has been in power for nine years.

"Rahul's speech reflected that he lives in his own world. He was meant to answer what has happened in the nine years (of UPA rule) but there was no mention of corruption or inflation. Instead of answering questions, he was asking questions. It is a tacit admission that nothing has been done," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters.

He maintained that 'Modiphobia' was clearly visible in Rahul's comments. "A confused leader presented his confused ideology which nobody could understand," Javadekar said, adding that the present day problems are due to failures of the Congress.

Another party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman wondered why the Congress-led government had not implemented Rahul's ideas till now.

"I am very tempted to ask if there were so many different ideas which were articulated, why his own government and party - of which he has been general secretary and is now a vice-president and MP - has not found it fit to adopt his ideas," she said.

The BJP spokesperson also sought to know why Rahul is talking of compassion now when the Congress has not done anything for the drought-affected people of Maharashtra, or those who were at the receiving end of police atrocities in Dhule, or in giving mines to the rich in Andhra Pradesh.

Earlier the Congress vice-president in his address to the CII made a veiled criticism of the BJP's policies, saying politics of alienating communities affects growth and his party stood for inclusive growth.

"When you play the politics of alienating communities, you stop the movement of people and ideas. When that happens we all suffer. Businesses suffer and the seeds of disharmony are sown and the dreams of our people are severely disrupted," Rahul said.